1. Introduction

Living a comfortable, self-centered life is the deadliest enemy a person can have. Why did the Israelites in the《Bible》 repeatedly fall to the point of national destruction? Because they loved their comfortable lives. For any strong nation, the most important factor is that every citizen puts the country first, and not just their own family and comfortable life. When God chose Gideon, the Israelites were only concerned with themselves, which was extremely dangerous. If people put their own lives above the interests of the country, that is a grave mistake.

Many Christians place great importance on their own families and take God's kingdom lightly. The reformation we want to initiate today is to have Christians put God's kingdom back in first place in their lives.

> A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. (《Matthew》 10:36)

Because your family members often hinder you from serving God, and this is the biggest obstacle. In this situation, a person’s enemies are their own family members. A brother who came from the United States said: God first, family second, work third. The 《Bible》 never says such a thing; there is only a first, nothing after that. Why do people invent such words? Today we must be especially careful, diligently keep and follow God’s words, and not invent things that God has not said.

2. Scripture

> “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (《Luke》 18:29-30)

The kingdom of God and your family are simply not on the same level. It may seem like there are first, second, and third points, but if they are not on the same level, there is no such ranking.

3. Prayer

Lord Jesus, reveal to us today, and let us know that with the kingdom of God first, there is no second or third. Help us to offer all that we have. If You ask us to give up, we will give up, and if You want us to receive a hundredfold, we will definitely receive a hundredfold. Lord Jesus, remove the rubbish inside us, and cleanse us. May You raise up Your people, willing to give up everything for You to follow You. Lord Jesus, lead us out of confusion, and let us know that in You there is all goodness.

4. The Enemy is Your Own Family

The enemy is your own family, so Jesus tells us to give up. Jesus came into the world not to bring peace on earth, but a sword.

> “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (《Matthew》 10:34-39)

When Jesus comes to the world again, it is to bring a sword upon the earth. A person's real enemy is their own family. The devil will use your own family to quarrel and cause trouble with you, to corrupt you, especially marital relationships, which are particularly vulnerable to bondage. Those who offend you will not hinder you from becoming a valiant soldier of God, and those who distance themselves from you will not hinder you from becoming a warrior of God.

Giving up houses, wives, children, fields, brothers, and sisters, people often find it difficult to make choices under pressure. Today we need to rethink this issue. There is a very fashionable concept in this era, the concept of balance. You need to strike a balance between work, family, and faith. Later, after studying the Bible, the Bible does not say so.

> “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (《Luke》 18:29-30)

What is reasonable does not necessarily solve the problem. I was fortunate to join the most revived church in Singapore at that time, the church with the most exorcisms. I am a person who values effectiveness, a person who does practical things in a down-to-earth manner. Today, our church's service will face a new reformation, with a confident faith that we are bound to succeed. All of God's goodness is not outside of you.

Today, in contrast, why have some churches lost their due power? Why do some churches not have the ability to release people? Many things are related to balance. Serving is not a matter of quantity. Therefore, when the Lord Jesus is teaching us, we must give up everything to follow Him. It is very easy for people to live a comfortable, self-centered life, especially in Singapore.

Last week, when I talked about pastoring, people who want to live a comfortable life just cannot live it well, because of the spiritual problems of that person. A disaster can bring you back to square one. Giving up the kingdom of God for the sake of one's own family results in seeing problem after problem. The Israelites were destroyed for the sake of living a comfortable life, and the kingdom of Judah was destroyed. When there are problems with work, life, and children, there is nothing that can be solved by living a comfortable life. Today, if you are willing to give up everything for the kingdom of God, you cannot help but live well. It is a tragedy if a person on earth does not know that there are demons.

God does not want you to lose your family, but to gain them. For the sake of God's kingdom, do you dare to give up the houses, wives, brothers, parents, and children that you value? Lot was a person who lived a comfortable life and was also afraid of his wife. Lot's wife was a very bad person. She looked back and became a pillar of salt. She was a person who lived a comfortable life.

> “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. (《Luke》 17:28-33)

God does not want to deprive us of our lives. What deprives us of our lives is our thoughts and intentions. We must begin to severely crack down on the thoughts and intentions of living a comfortable life. The people who live the best are those who are in the kingdom of God and have given up worldly things.

5. The Ending Is Determined by the Motives Within

> Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed; the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together; the one will be taken and the other left.” And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” (Luke 17:33-37)

I did not understand it for a long time. Two people grinding, two people in the field, doing the same thing. One is for the Kingdom of God, but has been left behind in their heart. Although the other person is also working, they live a small life for themselves, and they are left behind. Because one lives a small life and the other gives everything for the Kingdom of God, we give everything for God, and nothing takes the place of the Kingdom of God, allowing the Kingdom of God to descend.

What is the purpose of our life? Joshua ate three meals a day, and so did those people, but the purpose of their lives was different. The purpose of our life is for God. If God needs us, we give everything. When we do this, we also do what we should do in the world, even better than ordinary people. We are elite soldiers in the Kingdom of God, and we also do very practical things. What should be done is done. The Kingdom of God is always our priority, and all good things are found in Him.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Genesis, grazed sheep and tilled the land. In their mindset, they gave up everything. Nothing and no one could hinder our heart to serve God. Colleagues from other churches asked us what time we go back. We eat less and sleep less. They are very surprised, because they give up everything for the Kingdom of God to follow God. They said: Compared to you, our church is really far behind. It is difficult for them to give up, especially when facing the closest people in their families.

I am willing to give everything for God, and my mother came back to life, resisting the evil spirits who lead a small life. Evil spirits tempt us, but we do not fall for it. Those who are willing to give everything for God will receive a hundredfold. God told Abraham that he would become a great nation, and the great nation would become a blessing to all nations on earth.

> I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

Abraham had 318 elite soldiers, and he managed his family well, but he felt that it was vanity of vanities, and he began to come out and began to desire. God responds to what people desire.

I gave up what God asked me to give up. Did I get my mother? Yes, she should have died many years ago, but now she is paralyzed, and both bowel and bladder incontinence have been healed. Today, we lack the mindset of a great nation in Singapore. Korea calls itself a great nation, and God calls Abraham's descendants the descendants of a great nation.

Abraham's family also had many servants, and many cattle and sheep, but what he desired was not to live a small life, but to seek the meaning of life. Abraham longed for a great nation, longed for the blessing of all nations. I read it very early when I read the Bible. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation, marrying and being married, are all meaningless. If you want to live a small life, what you live out is hard work and sorrow. If you have the mindset of a great nation today, you cannot live badly. God said that loving children and loving parents more than loving me is not worthy of being my disciple. God said: Take up your cross and follow me. The cross is related to your flesh. Are you willing to give it up? God said to Abraham: Offer your son. Abraham offered it and submitted a perfect answer. God said to Abraham: Blessing, I will bless you greatly; as for your descendants, your descendants will be as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

The Bible says that those who do not bear children and are not pregnant will have more than those who bear children, which refers to our spiritual children. We must be strong again in this era. China has become a strong country through reform and opening up, and the church must prosper through reform. Does everyone have a vision: even if we give everything for God, we don’t care. God created us not as sparrows, but as eagles. Even if there are difficulties, we grit our teeth and stomp our feet to rush over. Any reform is not easy. I know very well that the people who reform in Chinese history do not have good endings, but I am not afraid. I want to bring our church to have a profound impact on this era. We are to be a blessing to all nations on earth. Shang Yang changed the law in the State of Qin, and was eventually torn apart by five horses. They have no God, and the ending is very miserable. But we have God, and we will receive a hundredfold in this life, and a hundredfold of glory. I thank the Lord, although I have been in Singapore for many years, I just have the mindset of a great nation. Some people think that I am full and have nothing to do, I am just looking for the meaning of life. When I see the desolation of Singapore, I feel very sad. Singapore needs to become Antioch of God again, and manifest the glory of God again. God wants to have a great intention for the Chinese in this place.

6. Prayer

I am also very emotional that we often recite the Lord's Prayer, but we do not know how to give up everything for God. Next, let us all say a prayer together:

Lord Jesus, I am willing to give up everything for you! I long to be Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of this era, and I long to be a blessing to all nations on earth. Lord Jesus, give me strength, give me faith, let me set my mind, let me receive a hundredfold in this life and eternal life in the age to come when I give up everything for you! Lord Jesus, let me live for you and become your will in this era!